Homemade Gingerbread Syrup for Your Coffee Needs

If you're anything like me, this is about the time of year where you want to add a little seasonal cheer to every thing you drink as the cold settles in, the last few leaves fall to the ground, and you struggle to stay awake through the day. This autumn has me working on my thesis, often wearing an ancient tartan throw as a cape, and homemade, spiced lattes have become the answer to all of my seasonal problems. I experimented with making my own gingerbread lattes last year, mixing sugar and spice together, but this year, I've perfected the art with a simple syrup. Gingerbread syrup is in fact extremely easy to whip together, takes no more than ten minutes, and is guaranteed to be healthier and more accessible than anything you can find outside.

Homemade Gingerbread Syrup

1/2 cup/ 115 g sugar

1/2 cup/ 120 ml water

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 heaped teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 heaped teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 heaped teaspoon ground cloves

Add equal parts water and sugar (here, a half cup each) to a small saucepan and heat. Stir occasionally until the two substances combine and create a simple syrup. Add spices. Stir until perfectly combined. Don't allow to boil for too long or the substance will begin to caramelize.

Allow to cool and store.

Add two or three teaspoons to your favorite coffee drink (for me: two shots of espresso added to half a mug of hot hazelnut milk) and relax as the caffeine kicks in and you find yourself singing along to holiday favorites, counting down the days until December.

gingerbread syrup